The Collision Vision – Details, episodes & analysis

Today we're recording a special "post‑SEMA" edition: two independent shop owners who attended the show, digested the trends, and are ready to act.

Joining us for this episode: John Melendez, owner of JDM Collision in Illinois, and Adan Ibarra, owner of Leading Edge Collision in Houston. They're going to give us their fresh take on what they saw at SEMA, how they're thinking about applying it, and what independent shop operators need to watch for as we move into the next chapter of the industry.

Connect with Adan:
Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adan-ibarra-801aa4270/
Website: https://www.leadingedgecollision.com/

Connect with John:
Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-melendez-576b59294/
Website: https://www.jdmcollision.com/ 

Today, we're continuing our SEMA series—and we're joined by someone who's not only scaled his business, but done so by making smart partnerships, staying true to quality, and embracing growth with purpose. Please welcome Paul Williams, CEO of Brightpoint Auto Body. Since his last time on the show, Brightpoint has expanded its footprint, refined its strategy, and positioned itself for what's next in collision repair. In this conversation, we'll talk about how to grow with intention, how the right financial and operational relationships make a difference, what's on Paul's radar at SEMA, and how he sees the future of our industry unfolding.

Connect with Paul:
Socials:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-williams-72132a133/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/brightpointautobody/posts/?feedView=all

Our guest for this episode is Jay Goninen. During this discussion, we zoom out for a high-level look at the current state of the industry: technician shortages, economic slowdowns, generational shifts, and how forward-thinking shop owners can use this moment to build momentum. If you've been wondering where the labor market is heading—or how to prepare your shop for what's next—you're in the right place.

Connect with Jay:

Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaygoninen/ 

This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering

Considering getting into the ADAS calibrations business? Then consider visiting Hunter Engineering's centralized ADAS Information Hub learning resource and take advantage of a large library of easy-to-digest videos, insightful articles, interactive training modules, educational tools and much more, covering all aspects of the business of calibration. The ADAS calibrations market is large and getting larger.

When you're ready to get going, your road to ADAS success begins at https://www.hunter.com/media-center/adas-hub/?utm_source=autobody_news&utm_medium=podcast1068&utm_campaign=adas

Today's guest is Steve Suppe, Director of Collision Services at Holman Automotive group, a leading dealership group focused on high-line vehicle brands operating dealerships- and dealership collision centers- across eight states. Steve is responsible for corporate-wide collision operations. Today, Steve and host Cole Strandberg will speak a lot about the dealership collision world, and more specifically, what independent shops can learn from the best dealership shops in the country. Enjoy the show!

Today's guest is one who has positively impacted the lives of millions of people over the last 30-or-so years. Mike Jones is the President and Master Trainer at Discover Leadership Training, an organization that aims to provide the most impactive, sustainable, and challenging leadership development solutions for the world. Mike is among the most enthusiastic and passionate individuals to touch the collision industry, and today we'll tap into that and talk all things leadership development, starting the day right, maximizing your potential, and more. Enjoy!

Something we speak about quite often on this show is the evolving nature of the collision industry, and the opportunities for business success those changes create. One of those continued opportunities is ADAS. Today's guest is Rick Zirbes, the Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer of Smart Express, a provider of ADAS services nationwide. Given Rick's impressive background in the industry- including as a technician and longtime I-CAR instructor- our conversation today is going to cover a ton of great topics, including a LOT of ADAS. Enjoy the show!

Email: rzirbes@smartexpress.com

Smart Express Phone: 952-884-7702

Website: smarexpress.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-zirbes-59169425/

Here on The Collision Vision, we discuss topics surrounding the "business" side of the collision repair industry. We also do our part in giving a voice to organizations dedicated to making the collision repair industry a better place. That's what a lot of today's conversation will be focused on, as we host a very special panel discussion among some key women in the collision industry, on behalf of the Women's Industry Network, or WIN.

Many of you know WIN, but in their own words… The Women's Industry Network's mission is to support and enhance the role of women in the collision repair industry, promoting education, professional advancement and networking. The WIN Board of Directors exists to guide the organization in furthering these initiatives. The all-volunteer group represents various collision industry segments including, but not limited to, repair facilities, suppliers, consultants, information providers and insurance companies.

Today, we'll be speaking with two very accomplished andinsightful women in the collision industry: Cheryl Boswell, Former WIN Chair and CFO of DCR Systems and Jessica Rob, sponsorship chair for WIN and distribution program manager at AkzoNobel Coatings Inc. WIN has exciting things happening which we'll talk all about in this episode….

Links:

WIN Network website: https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/

WIN Membership: https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/page/Membership

WIN Pay It Forward: https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/page/Payitforward

WIN Sponsorship Opportunities: https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/page/Sponsorship

WIN Most Influential Women: https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/page/MIW

WIN Scholarship Program: https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/page/Scholarship

WIN Annual Education Conference: https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/page/Conference2024 

Today's guest is one host Cole Strandberg has known for many, many years, dating back to his time in the equipment space. Bob Zelano has worn many hats during his lengthy time in the collision industry, going from heavy-duty combo tech, to the insurance side of things, to equipment and consulting. His knowledge on both the technical and qualitative sides of the collision industry is great, and on this show we'll talk about ensuring safe repairs, building an all-star team, investing in the future of collision repair, and much more… I hope you enjoy the show.

Today's episode will be a little bit different… while Cole Strandberg is normally your host, today, he'll be your guest, interviewed by Jay Goninen of Wrench Way. As a guest, Cole does a little bit more talking than normal, as he and Jay discuss many relevant collision topics, including the importance of team building, updates on consolidation and M&A, family business, and much more. Jay Goninen is President of WrenchWay, who is doing their part to help the industry in solving the technician shortage. Be sure to check out Beyond the Wrench Podcast with Jay. Enjoy the show!

I'm fortunate to have two guests with us today, both focused on something very cool very important in the world of Electric vehicles…. SAFETY! My guests today are Dirk Fuchs, former Director of Technical Programs and Services for I-CAR and now CEO and Founder of Electric Mobility Consulting, an organization that consults on some pretty hot topics in today's collision repair environment, including all things EV repair. My other guest today is Dalan Zartman, COO of The Energy Security Agency. Today, we'll run the gamut of EV topics… from safe repairs, the opportunity investing in EVs represents for shops, and EV collision impacts on the larger environment and the safety that comes along with that. Buckle up for a great conversation and enjoy the show! Dirk- Electricmobilityconsulting.net, dirk.fuchs@electricmobilityconsulting.net, https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirk-fuchs-ba570baa/ Dalan— https://energysecurityagency.com 855-ESA-SAFE (911) https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalan-zartman-bbb943227/